Month: June 2016

Last Sunday, I went to Hanaro Mart, which is a Korean Grocery Store, in Sunnybank. I saw there was a poster placed in front of that store. That poster said Hanaromart in Calamvale Central will have a grand opening on 9th July 2016. Pre-opening will be on 6th July 2016. That is great. I am waiting for that a while, I saw the store in Calamvale Central has covered by the wooden boards for at least a month. Finally, it will open two week later!

These few days, Antarctic blast is pushing the cold air up to north. This makes the temperature cooling down. That sounds good to play with some ice. This may be the reason I saw there are a few people to attend Winter Festival in King George when I was in City few days.

I saw the giant ice-skating rink has a number of people. Moreover, I saw the European style market had a few people to have some hot food. In additional, I saw a few kids were playing the real snow in Powder Pit.

In Brisbane, our winter is only about 10-15 degrees. That is not really, of course, there won’t be snowing at all. That doesn’t looks like a “real” winter for me.

Fortunately, from Today to 10 10 July 2016, Brisbane has the Winter Festival. During this festival, a giant open-air ice-skating rink is placed in front of King George Square. I think if you can have ice skating in opened air and behind a Italian Renaissance style Brisbane City Hall, that sounds very “Europe”. However, this is not free of charge. For adult, the fee is $28, Child from 5 to 15 years old is $19, under 5 years old child is $11. For family pack(2 adults and 2 children) is $60.

For this year, there is a new feature, a gain real snow Toboggan Slide. You can feel like sliding a real snow hills.

This ride will cost $7 each times.

Besides of excitements, there is a traditional style European marketplace. You can get some warm delicious foods, such as hot chocolate , from there, after the playing time.

I think that should be a fun family activity, we have not a real snowing winter, but we can play with the real snow during this festival. The school holidays are coming, you can consider to bring them there!

A lot of my friends said taking a bus from home to city is very expensive, even a colleague told me the fares of public transports in Brisbane is the 3rd highest in the world. I believe that is truth, I live in Zone 5. I need to spend $5.96 for the bus fare from my home to Brisbane city. That is a lot. Fortunately, Queenlsand government will restructure their Translink fares. New structure will be activated on January 2017. I think most of people will pay less included myself. According to the Translink website, there are the few key points as followings:

Currently, Translink included 23 Zones. In the new structure, there will be 8 zones only. Therefore, each fare zone will be larger. Currently, I live in Zone 5. In the new structure, I will be in Zone 2.

The fare of single zone will be reduced to $3.20 from $3.35. After the zones will be restructured, the most of people need to travel one zone to city. Therefore, that is only $3.20. I live in Zone 5, after the restructure, I need to pay $3.90 for the trip from home to city, instead of $5.96.

The morning off-peak discount period is still keeping same from 8:30am to 3:30pm, but the evening off-peak discount period will extend from the existing period( 7pm to 3am) to the new period (7pm to 6am).

All children from 4 to 14 year old will have free ride

The fare will be reduced a lot, I think that sounds ok to change some existing free bonus. Now, if you are using go card, after 9 rides in a week, then you can travel free of charge in the translink network within the same week. That will be replaced. In the new structure, if you are using go card, after 8 rides in a week, you will be 50% off all rides within the same week.

I love these changes which saved a lot of travel expense for our family!

This Saturday(18/6/2016,2pm to 8pm), Sunnybank Plaza and Sunny Park will hold $2 Food Trail again. Similar with previous years, 41 restaurants will take part of this event. During this event, they sell some small tasty dishes for $2. These dishes are various styles, such as Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Chinese style. Of course, Boost Juice will provide my favor, $2 Kids Size Juice!

Also, there will be some live performances, suc as loin dance and live music.

That sounds attractive, for further details,please visit their website